North Carolina teen critically ill after contracting infection from brain-eating amoeba

News 5 Cleveland (Your Health Matters) 8/28 6:21A Scripps News Group

A teen in central North Carolina is critically ill after contracting a rare brain-eating amoeba found in bodies of warm freshwater, according to state health officials. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services said on Aug. 27...

Study links lower early-life sugar intake to reduced cancer risk

News 5 Cleveland (Your Health Matters) 8/28 4:54A Scripps News Group

Less sugar early in life could lead to better health decades later. A new study published in the journal PNAS found that adults who consumed less sugar during their first 1,000 days of life had lower risks of several cancers, including liver,...

Excess belly fat could reveal more about the lifespan of older adults than BMI

News 5 Cleveland (Your Health Matters) 8/26 7:35A Kelly Broderick

A new study is suggesting that BMI may not be the correct measure of health for some seniors. The study, which was published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, found that a larger waist circumference correlates with a higher risk...

Law meant to protect from surprise medical bills may drive up insurance costs

News 5 Cleveland (Your Health Matters) 8/26 7:27A Sam Lisker

A law aimed at making healthcare more affordable may actually be driving up premiums, according to a new Georgetown University study. Researchers found that the No Surprises Act, a law addressing the issue of surprise medicalbillingsituations for...

FDA approves first-of-its-kind treatment for most common form of pancreatic cancer

News 5 Cleveland (Your Health Matters) 8/26 6:38A Scripps News Group

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Rasonque on Wednesday, a first-of-its-kind treatment for pancreatic adenocarcinoma, the most common form of pancreatic cancer months ahead of its scheduled review deadline. Rasonque is a once-daily...

California couple confronts their surrogate in Texas court as dispute over newborn escalates

News 5 Cleveland (Your Health Matters) 8/26 5:58A AP via Scripps News Group

A California couple in an escalating fight with their surrogate over a newborn with a life-threatening heart defect told a Texas court Tuesday that the child's condition has worsened and they are anguished by attempts to deny them parental rights...

Researchers warn type 2 diabetes is rising rapidly among children and teens

News 5 Cleveland (Your Health Matters) 8/26 5:16A Justin Boggs

New research to be presented next month at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes meeting in Italy found that youth type 2 diabetes cases in Colorado increased nearly 10-fold between 2002 and 2023. Researchers said the Colorado...

1 in 4 former NFL players who died from 2016 to 2021 had CTE, study estimates

News 5 Cleveland (Your Health Matters) 8/25 4:27A Nadia Kounang, CNN

At least 1 in 4 former National Football League players who died between 2016 and 2021 had chronic traumatic encephalopathy, according to a study released on Tuesday in the journal BMJ. The study is one of the most informative estimates to date...

Pennsylvania reports first measles deaths in 35 years

News 5 Cleveland (Your Health Matters) 8/25 3:40A Justin Boggs

The Pennsylvania Department of Health reported that two people recently died from measles, marking the states first deaths from the virus in 35 years. The deaths involved unvaccinated Lancaster County residents, the department said. Officials did...

HHS launches first national alert initiative for missing autistic individuals

News 5 Cleveland (Your Health Matters) 8/22 4:34A Justin Boggs

The Department of Health and Human Services announced the launch of the first National Autism Missing and Endangered Person Alert initiative. The effort, led in partnership with the Department of Justice and the Federal Emergency Management...

Older adults who wait longer between meals may face higher chronic disease risk

News 5 Cleveland (Your Health Matters) 8/21 6:23A Justin Boggs

A study of older adults indicated it might not be a good idea to wait too long to eat. In the study by the Karolinska Institutet , published in the Journal of Internal Medicine, those who had longer periods between meals accumulated chronic...

Researchers test GLP-1 medications as possible treatment for opioid addiction

News 5 Cleveland (Your Health Matters) 8/21 5:03A Justin Boggs

GLP-1 receptor agonist drugs have long been used to treat diabetes and, more recently, obesity. Now, researchers are studying whether the medications could also help prevent opioid addiction relapse. Researchers at Vanderbilt University are...

Trump expected to choose White House adviser Heidi Overton for FDA

News 5 Cleveland (Your Health Matters) 8/19 2:54A Scripps News Group

The White House appears ready to announce its pick to lead the Food and Drug Administration. Dr. Heidi Overton is expected to be President Donald Trumps nominee to lead the agency, according to a source close to the situation. The decision comes...

Study finds insurance denials for brand-name drugs jumped 67 percent

News 5 Cleveland (Your Health Matters) 8/14 8:38A Scripps News Group

A new study published in JAMA has found insurance denials for brand-name drugs without generic alternatives jumped 67 percent between 2018 and 2024. Researchers analyzed more than two million prescription fill attempts and found GLP-1 weight-loss...

Sen. Warren alleges political influence in FDA handling of cyclosporiasis outbreak

News 5 Cleveland (Your Health Matters) 8/14 5:10A Justin Boggs

Sen. Elizabeth Warren is demanding answers from the Trump administration as cases of cyclosporiasis have grown over the last month, raising questions about the safety of lettuce consumption. In a letter to the White House, Warren called on the...